Clodagh McKenna's love bites — spicy prawns and a rose-tinted dessert

Gambas al ajillo is one of my favourite Spanish tapas dishes. To translate: shrimps in garlic, and it’s one of my easiest recipes.

I think it’s delicious as a midweek supper, but I’d save it as a starter for this Friday if you’re cooking a special Valentine’s supper. Despite the name, I usually use fresh prawns instead of shrimp, as I find them more succulent. You can add a splash of white wine or dry sherry for extra flavour, too — don’t drown them, but a drop goes a long way.

If you’re thinking of serving this for your Valentine, then here’s a delicious dessert to finish with — my rosewater-infused light chocolate mousse. It takes just 10 minutes to prepare, so it’s ideal if you’re in a rush after work. Start by placing 100g dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

Set this over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts, then remove from the heat. Next, stir in 75g caster sugar, a tablespoon of rosewater and two eggs. Using a handheld electric beater, whisk for five minutes. Lastly, whisk in 250g mascarpone for a few seconds, until combined. Divide between the four glasses and chill. Then crack open the Chablis. Happy Valentine’s!

Serves: 2

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serve with: Chablis Elodie Duprés 2018, £12.99 from Majestic Wines

1. Place a frying pan over a medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Next, stir in the sliced garlic and dried chilli flakes and cook for one minute, then tip in the fresh prawns or shrimps. Season with salt and pepper, toss and cook for a minute on each side, until they just turn pink.

2. While still over the high heat, pour the juice of one lemon over the cooked prawns and sprinkle over the chopped flat leaf parsley, and toss.

3. Toast or griddle the sliced sourdough bread and place them on your serving dishes. Drizzle a little good-quality extra virgin olive oil over the toasts and spoon the prawns on top, scooping up all the juices from the pan to trickle over the dish.

Follow Clodagh on Instagram @clodagh-mckenna